Apparatus for the transportation of perishable products



Sept. 15, 1936. c. MARTIN 2,054,728

APPARATUS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF PERISHABLE PRODUCTS Original Filed May 6, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1.

INVENTOR.

Sept. 15, 1936. c. MARTIN 2,054,728

APPARATUS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF PERISHABLE PRODUCTS Original Filed May 6, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 FIG.

v 4, I I .fi r r IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I;I' F I 0 0 o In I o o o o 3 O o a or O o G0 OOOO GOOQOOOOOOO FIG. 3. I 6

INVENTbR.

Clifford Mal-Tin Gil Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION F rnmsmmu: rnonuc'rs Cliflol'd Martin,

Interlachen, m

Original application my a, 19:9, Serial No.

Divided and this application January 13, 1933,, Serial No. 651,590

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerator cars and similar vehicles for the transportation of perishable products, and more particularly to equipment for heat exchange in such vehicles. It is a division of co-pending United States application, Serial Number 360,950, filed May 6, 1929, which matured into Patent No. 1,898,843, dated February 21, 1933.

v The primary object of the invention is to provide improved equipment for maintaining a desired temperature in a vehicle of this kind, irre- 'spective of the temperature outside the vehicle.

Another object is to provide improved equipment of this nature, so located with respect to the interior of the. vehicle, as to insure the effective maintenance of a desired temperature within the same.

Another object is to provide improved equipment for quickly restoring a desired temperature in a refrigerator car or similar vehicle after the closure of the vehicle has been opened, as when shipments are being discharged, and again closed, in order to protect other shipments within the vehicle.

Another object is to provide equipment which may be utilized for drying the air within a vehicle of this kind and for quickly and effectively defrosting the refrigerating coils of the refrigerating unit.

Still another object is to provide novel equipment for lowering the temperature in arefrigerator car or the like and for raising the temperature in the event air below the desired temperature enters the car through the open doorway, cracks, or other openings.

Another object is to provide novel equipment for heating or cooling the interior of a vehicle adapted to transport perishable products, the equipment including means to provide a rela tively even distribution of the cool or warm air.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the improved refrigerating car.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of an end of the car, showing more particularly a. condensing coil of the refrigerating equipment therefor.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through a portion of the improved car beneath the roof thereof.

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views taken substantially on their respective lines in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of 5 a closure-operated switch mechanism for controlling the operator of the refrigerating appsratus.

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic wiring system included in the apparatus. 10

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration. is shown only a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A designates generally a refrigerator car adapted to transport perishable products from place to place. Within the car is disposed refrigerating equipment B operated by a prime mover C which preferably secures its current from a generator D or a storage battery E. The refrigerating apparatus B includes a compressor G, condensing means H, refrigerating coil K and an expansion valve L for expanding a refrigerant into the coil K. Included in the equipment is also a heating unit M and means N for the rapid circulation of air within the car. f

' The refrigerator car A is of ordinary construction including an insulated floor l2, insulated side walls l3 and I4, insulated end walls I! and I6 and an insulated roof l8, of any approved 4 construction. In either or both of the side walls l3 and M are disposed closures 20, of any approved construction.

The prime mover C may be an electric motor operatively connected to the compressor G to take the refrigerating medium from the inlet line at the low pressure side thereof, and compress the same therein, sending it through a line 3| into the condenser H.

Inthepreferredconstruction, the generator D is driven during the travel of the car A, by means of a belt 32 trained about a rotatable axle portion 33 of the truck of the car- A. This generator D is connected with the storage battery E for charging the latter ifthereis excessive current over that required to operate-the motor C, as during inoperative periods of the latter, a conventional automatic cut out switch being interposed in the line between the battery and the generator.

The condenser H preferably comprises a coil, zig-zagging inv a vertical plane upon the exterior of the wall l3 of the car A, the compresser 1), however, being within the car, and it is preferred to place the same as well as other portions of the refrigerating equipment in .a special compartment 35 provided within the car,- and partitioned at 36 from the compartment 31 wherein the perishable products are transported. The high pressure line 3| of course, is mainly within the car and extends through a suitable opening 39 to exteriorly of the 6 car, where it is connected to the condenser H and .at its other end within the car, is connected with the compressor G. The lower end of the coil forming the condenser H is let into the compartment 35 through an opening 4| in the side wall 1 l3 of the car, as shown in Figure 2, and connects with a conduit 43 upon the inner surface of the wall l3 of the car, which conduit extends downwardly into the reservoir 44 wherein the refrigerating medium is receivable. This reservoir 44 15 is preferably located upon the floor l2 of the car and it has an outlet conduit 45 through which the highly compressed refrigerating medium after being cooled in the condenser H and received in the reservoir 44 is expanded through the expan- 20 sion valve L into a horizontal length of tubing 41 shown in Figure 3 and disposed along the car close to a side wall and beneath the roof, through which the cooled refrigerating medium flows into the zig-zag convolutions of the refrigerating coil 25 K, which is preferably supported immediately betor C, and in this line a switch arm 5| is provided.

From the motor C a line 52 extends, at its other terminal, to the battery E and generator D and in this line, 52 is disposed a thermostat switch 54 opening and closing the line 52 for cutting out 40 the motor C in the circuit'upon the attainment of a desired low temperature within the car. In-' terposed, in the line 50 between the generator D and battery Efis a conventional automatic cut out switch 58 positioned so as to prevent unnec- 45 essary drainage of current from the battery.

In the line 52 is also disposed a switch arm 54".

The switch arms 5| and 54 are more particularly detailed in Figure 6, showing them disposed within a suitable switch box 55, wherein they are 50 each pivoted at 55 to contact 51, the switch arms 5| and 54' being swingable at their opposite ends to engagement with contact 58. A bridge piece or link 50 is pivoted at 53 at each end thereof to the switch arms 5| and 54 for simultaneously open- 55 ing and closing the switch.

Upon the inside surface of the wall I! there is disposed a supporting bracket 55 slidably supporting a rod 55 which is pivotally connected at 51 ,at one end thereof, between the connections 58 60 of the link 68. A spring 59, normally under compression, engages the bracket 55 at one end, and receives the rod 65 therethrough, and at its opposite end engages an annular flange 18 on said rod, normally'tending to force the rod 55 into 55 such position that the switch arms 5| and 54 will be thrown out of engagement with their respective terminals for breaking the circuit to the motor C. 'l he closure'20 of the car A is hinged and as shown in Figure 6 may be provided with an L-shaped extension 13, rigid therewith, which;

upon closing of the door, moves into engagement with the free end 15 of the plunger 55 causing it to move against the spring compressor 59, into the posltion shown" in Figure 6, for closing the switch armsii and w. Upon-the opening of the A shield or housing 88 is provided for guarding and controllingthe flow of air over the con- (lensing coil H, this being described in detail in" the above mentioned U. S. Patent No. 1,898,843.

Associated with this shield or housing lll'ls an electric fan 85 and. is connected in the electric circuit with the generator D and storage battery E and adapted to be cut out of operation upon opening of either the switch 54 or the thermostatic switch 54.

As for the heating unit M, it includes an open mouthed housing 86, housing a plurality of resistance coils 81 adapted to radiate heat into the compartment 31. These coils are operativelyconnected to the generator D and battery E through a circuit 88. Interposed in the circuit is a thermostatic switch 89 adapted to make or break the current when the temperature drops below or rises above a predetermined degree. It will be noted, particularly in Figure 5, that the heating unit M is disposed wholly below the refrigerating 001115, and infact, quite remote from the coil. It is pre- .ferred to provide a rather elongate housing 85 and dispose the same so that its longitudinal axis is substantially horizontal and in a plane crosswise the longitudinal axes of the coils K. It may be seen from Figure 5 that the heating unit is also disposed remote from the condenser coils under the shield 88.

The air circulating means N preferably, includes an electric fan 8| operatively connected to the sources of electrical energy thru a circuit 32 wherein a manually operated switch 84 may be provided. From Figure 5 it will be noted that it is preferred to place the axis of rotation of the fan so that it will substantially intersect a prolongation of the longitudinal axis of the heating unit. It has been found highly satisfactory to place the units M and N adjacent each other and preferably mounted upon the partition 85 and by this juxtaposition of the units M and N and their axial relationship, the circulation of heated air will not only be even but the coils may be evenly and quickly defrosted thruout their length.

In operation, the thermostatic switch 54 is set to break the electric circuit to the motor C when the temperature within the compartment 81 reaches a determined low, and to throw the motor C into operation when the temperature rises above that determined temperature. Likewise, when the door 25 is opened, the circuit-will be broken by the door operated switch 5|. Since the vehicle may be traveling over a territory where there may be encountered extremes of temperature, cold air seeping into the compartment 81 or air entering the compartment 81 through the opening of the doors 20, may lower the temperature in the" compartment 31 to an undesirable degree. In that event, the thermostatic switch 88, which has been properlyv set, will place the resistance coils 81 in circuit with the generator D or battery E and the heat radiated by the coils will restore the desired temperature to the compartment I'l whereupon the'thermostatic switch 88 will break the current .to the resistance coils. The relationship of the resistances of the motor C, motor 85 and heating unit M is such that when the thermostat 88 is closed, calling for heat at the resistance 81 of the heating unit M and there will not be suflicient current to operate the motors 85 and C, so that the motor 85 will not always be in operation when the closure 20 is closed. Experience has shown it to be undesirable to place the heating unit M close to the coils K and in any event, not adjacent the vehicle roof. By placing the fan 9| in the position shown in Figure 5, with the heating unit M, a circulation of warm air will take place throughout the compartment 31 or the fan'9l' may be operated independently of the heating unit M, as is apparent.

By placing the units M and N upon the partition wall 36, the entire under surface of the roof naturally rises, will have some distance to travel 1 before it reaches the roof of the vehicle and thus insures a more equitable distribution of temperature throughout the compartment 31.

Various changes may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for the transportation of perishable products, a vehicle body defining a compartment, said body having an opening into said compartment and a movable closure for the opening, a source of electrical energy, a refrigerating unit, a motor for operating said unit, switch means operatively connected between said source of electrical energy and "said motor, automatically operated upon the closing and opening of said closure for energizing and deenergizing said motor, an electrical heating unit within said compartment operatively connected to said source of electrical energy, and thermostatic heating unit is operable independently of said refrigerating unit but its thermostatic means is influenced by changes in temperature brought about by the opening of said closure, coupled to changes in temperature brought about by the operation of said refrigerating unit.

2. In apparatus for the transportation of perishable products, a vehicle body defining a compartment, said body having an opening into said compartment and a movable closure for the opening, a source of electrical energy, arefrigcrating unit including a condenser exteriorly of said body, a motor for operating said unit, switch means operatively connected between said source closing and opening of said closure for energizing and deenergizing said motor, a heating unit within said compartment and remote from said condenser and switch means to place said heating unit in operation to heat said compartment.

3. In apparatus for the transportation of perishable products, a vehicle body defining a compartment normally closed to and insulated'from the outer atmosphere, said body having an opening into said compartment and a movable closure for the opening, a source-oi electrical energy, reirigerating means for lowering the temperature of the air within said compartment, an electric motor for operating said means, thermostatic switch means in circuit between said source of electrical energy and said motor for energizing and deenergizing said motor upon closing and opening said closure, an electrical heating unit within said compartment for raising the temperature of the air therein, said heating unit being operatively connected to said source of electrical energy, thermostatic means for controlling, said electrical heating unit, and means for agitating the air within said compartment including an electric fan operatively connected to said source v of electric energy and within said compartment.

CLIFFORD MARTIN. 

